What a fun day it was taking a day tour of Waterbury, Vermont. Hot hot hot, but we still managed to have a great time. Driving south on Rte 100 we were able to spend time at 4 local points of interest that Vermont is known for. Best of all, every one of them involved tastings. We tried to arrange them in meal order thereby rationalizing that this was just a progressive lunch of sorts.

Our first stop was at the Cabot Annex Store- famous for its cheese. Here we are grazing at the tasting table. I tried a bite of EVERY one. Yummmmy. Naturally, we needed to buy some for the road.

There were lots of other Vermont specialty foods on hand and Roberto was able to pick up his new supply of fancy Maple Syrup. (I am going to have to make it back some March to see a tree tapping.) One day we determined that we will travel to Cabot, Vermont to see the place where the cheese is made and take the tour.

Next on our tour was Chocolate. This was a Willy Wonka of a place!! If you didn’t find your favorite chocolates, fudges, fruity bits, sauces, and assorted candy confections here, you won’t find them anywhere. So, we sampled a dark chocolate-caramel bite and then walked it off (I wish) at the attached Danbury Pewter shop. Some really gorgeous stuff here from Christmas tree ornaments to dinnerware.

We hoped back in their air-conditioned truck and headed for Ben and Jerry’s. This place was crazy busy. It was full or whimsy and oh so commercial. But we got to eat ice cream which helped to cool us a bit. We looked around the extensive grounds and stood in line to get our ice cream while we waited for the tour. It consisted of a 7 minute movie, a tour of the facility and ended with – what else – a free sample in the tasting room.

While I enjoyed the experience and can now say I have been there, I am not sure that I would need to do it again. Alas!! Poor Jenn and Roberto!! I am sure this is on the to do list for all their many visitors. Ha ha.

Our final Waterbury stop was at the Apple Cider Mill to get some cold cider. It was like a little general store with all manner of country trinkets for sale along with many edibles like pies, cookies and jars of all things apple. Jenn found a neat little cookbook and some kitchen things to add to her ever growing kitchen tool supply. And they also found some great sauces that were too good to pass on.

Finally, we enjoyed a short scenic ride as we headed back home for the day.

The days are flying by and I am building a lot of wonderful memories with Jenn and Roberto.

Even though my trip to Vermont was not long, one trip to Stowe just wasn’t enough. Much as I enjoyed rambling through the downtown, Stowe is renown for its skiing and resorts. On the return visit to Stowe we took a wonderful drive UP and UP to see some of the resorts and the scenes of the mountainous terrain. One word for both- WOW. I was actually a little scared winding our way up to Smugglers Notch – and there wasn’t even snow! But Jenn and Roberto forged ahead in their 4-wheel drive truck with nary a care. It was awesome. Steep, raw, windy, amazing, beautiful. And as hot as it was in Vermont during my stay, it was COOL up there too. Ahhhhh.

We even saw a brave couple climbing straight up the side of the mountain. I don’t know how they could not fall off. There were too far up to actually photograph, but trust me, they were doing it.

Here is one of the many ski lift places.

The resorts were one better than the next.

Ever see The Sound of Music? This is the Trapp Family resort in the background.

Here we see condos, privately owned. They have their own lift that crosses the road and up to the slopes. That is how the other half lives…………..

After all that “mountain climbing” that we did, albeit in a truck, we worked up an appetite and needed a good cold one to go with it. We ate at Mr. Pickwick’s down the hill.

It was a wonderful English Pub with tons of atmosphere and good food. I wish I could say I was more adventurous, but for some reason, you say “pub” and I say “fish and chips”. Yum – my!! Light, crisp batter and tender flaky fish. I only had one pint, but Jenn and Roberto said I was fair to singing. But that is just between us, okay?

I think I could visit Stowe again and again. Lively, pretty, and fun.

Fourth of July this year was celebrated in Stowe, Vermont. We had a fun day tramping up and down the streets of shops while slurping up what seems to be our ever ready ice cream cones. The little village was colorfully decorated with flags and buntings announcing this special day of independence.

Later we headed up to the event field for the evening festivities. Lots of vendors were there to sell there wares and we enjoyed a picnic of ice cold lemonade with pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches. Our day ended with us snuggled on our blanket watching the fireworks.

Hope you had a Happy 4^th of July!!

Today I felt like taking a little adventure. What could be better than a morning drive in the country and then stopping to pick some blueberries!

When I went to the Organic Food and Film Festival last month, I hooked up with one of the local certified organic farms near Ocala where I learned that I could buy or pick my own berries. I am a fan of blueberries and like them by the handfuls, in smoothies, or baked into cobblers, muffins and breads. I have an especially yummy blueberry grunt recipe that I am talking myself into making for this evening. This morning, I had a cup of blueberries warmed in the microwave, then stirred into a quarter cup of organic granola and a cup of Total 0 Greek yogurt for breakfast. Okay, so it has been established that I like blueberries.

That in my mind, then, justifies my driving 40 miles each way to get organic. There are dozens of local places, but not organic. If I am making the effort to learn and talk about organic, then I need to eat organic as well.

Anyway, I had a bottle of my homemade green tea that I steeped with fresh slices of ginger and a cinnamon stick on ice and my radio tuned in to my favorite oldies station and off I went. For those local to Ocala, it was a straight shot down 40E and then a left on N-315 for 16 miles to the Bay Lake Blueberry Farm in Ft. McCoy.

When I got there, I was given a bucket and a bungee cord that wrapped around my waist to hook onto the bucket so I could pick hands free. I merrily went from bush to bush and picked my way to a bucket full of these plump, indigo gems.

At checkout, the berries were weighed and placed in a flat to keep them from crushing on the drive home. There were several other local farmers there with little tents up selling plants, honey and herbs. Blueberry bushes were also on sale. But for this trip I stuck with just the berries. By the time I checked out it was about 11:30 and already steamy hot in the Florida sun. I couldn’t help but reward myself with a cup of their homemade organic blueberry ice cream.

Since I picked more than I could eat right away, I went with the idea to freeze some for later. The instructions I got were to place them unwashed on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 45 minutes, then bag. This will keep them from getting stuck together when I am ready to use some of them.

Blueberry Grunt

I like a generous amount of berries. At least 3 cups or what will cover the bottom of your skillet several layers deep. To this I add enough water to cover and then some. Zest a lemon, add a shake or 2 of cinnamon and just a few tablespoons of organic sugar ( more if you like it sweet) and set to a boil over a medium heat.

Meanwhile, mix up a batch of dumplings. The easiest is to use a biscuit mix and just follow the directions. It is about 2 and a half cups mix.  I like to add a bit of lemon zest and the juice of the lemon to this too along with 2/3 cup of milk to make a nice dough.  Then drop by spoonfuls over the berries, put the lid on the skillet and simmer about another 15 minutes till the dough is cooked. It will have soaked up a lot of the juice ( that is why I like to add a fair but of water to the berries). Eat warm with milk, whipped or ice cream.

It is equally yummy for breakfast or dessert. I don’t actually have exact measurements for this. But this is just one of those that is hard to mess up.

Here are a few scenes of the vendors at the festival 

                                                                          Photo by Peterphoto1390

Today I went to an Organic Food and Film Festival in Ocala, Florida. It was held on the grounds of the Ocala Civic Theater off Silver Springs Boulevard. This was not one of those occasions where I knew I would be exploring a beautiful place or discovering a new fine dining restaurant. If I have to admit why I went, I would have to say it was for purely selfish reasons – to continue on my quest for truthful information for myself and then to be able to pass it on to others.

For me, it started in September 2001 when I was diagnosed with cancer. I was one of the lucky ones and am grateful to be a survivor. But at the time, when I asked my doctor, why me, his answer was he didn’t know, just dumb luck. Then, shortly after, I spent some time with another doctor, who with homeopathic remedies, helped me rid my body of residual bone pain. But while with him he found that my body was toxic with high levels of petroleum. Now how did all of that petroleum get there? Was this all just a coincidence or was something else going on? I really don’t know. But those two incidents made me start to wonder.

I had a healthy lifestyle, ate good, nutritious foods or so I thought, until along comes my daughter, Jennifer, who has been a student of clean, healthy living and is on her own journey to building a sustainable,organic food source of her own.  She and hubby Roberto have talked the talk and now are putting it into action at their new farm, Thistlemooon Meadows, in Vermont.  In addition, she also had worked for years with the doctor who helped me with homeopathic treatments. She began making little adjustments to my food, supplements and all things related. Everything that she ever told to do has been spot on, and way before it was brought to general public awareness. Now she is teaching me about what is in the foods that I have been eating and showing me that there is a better way.

How long has it been since you have been able to just pick up an apple, without even washing it, and know with absolute certainty that it wasn’t pumped full of pesticides, which can be oil based, poisonous or genetically modified? If I had known what I was eating, do you think I would have eaten it? The fact is that I was actually polluting my own body without my knowledge or my consent.

The Department of Agriculture has set up standards to which food that is labeled Certified Organic must adhere.  You can know that if it is labeled as such that there is no irradiation, no sewage sludge, no hormones, no genetic modification, no antibiotics and no pesticides.  (By the way as a side note, less than 1% of insects are harmful.  The rest have a job to do and when any of them are killed off with a pesticide, the eco balance is disrupted.)

Now, that I know better, not only did I want to go to review this festival, I felt it my moral obligation to go.

                                                                           Photo by Dave G. Kelly

The first time I went was to the one that was held there in January. Since then, it has grown from just having a hand full of vendors to so many that they had to open the grounds and move it outdoors. I learned where I can join a CSA and where I can pick certified organic berries and fruit. I was able to get a list of resources so that I can continue my learning and I will pass them on to you at the end.

The highlight for me was the films. If you do nothing more than watch these three films, you will never look at food the same way again.

“Food, Inc” exposes what’s behind large scale industrial farming. A real wake up call. I was terrified and horrified!!!

“The Future of Food” graphically shows how our food is being genetically modified and how supermarkets are being led to stock these fake foods. It also tells how just a few huge food corporations are trying to control the world’s foods and farms.

“What’s Organic About Organic” is the light at the end of the tunnel by striving to show the greener side of chemical-free pastures. Marty Mesh, co-producer, was on hand to educate and to answer all of our questions at the end, which were many.

Here I am with Marty Mesh after screening of “What’s Organic about Organic”.

Now, I make no claims at being any kind of expert. I am not a scientist or a doctor. And I don’t know all the answers. I am just like everyone else, just trying to sort it all out. But I am convinced that now is the time to let everyone know what is really going on. There is power in knowledge and I feel like I owe it to myself and to future generations to get this figured out now.

Start asking yourself the tough questions? Why is food being genetically modified and why can’t we know which ones are? Why do only 4 companies hold monopolies on seeds and how are they controlling their (not our) interests in putting the farmers out of business with their lawsuits. Why does the government support the interests of these monopolies? Why, since the advent of the Nitrogen bomb, nerve gas and DDT among others, have these poisons found there way in diluted forms into pesticides – then into our food, animals, air and water and finally us? Why are 97% of the vegetables that were grown up until the 20^th century, now extinct? Why are big companies even allowed to patent seeds and then sue anyone who doesn’t use them or who uses them without paying them – even if the farmer never planted the seed to start with and only got some by wind contaminating their crops? Why are cows given human antibiotics or hormones? Why is the government subsidizing farmers ( really a GMO rebate) with tax payer money? Why is the US selling GM corn to Mexico cheaper than they can grow their own? Why has Japan decided to not use chemicals and to just watch the children in the US for ten years to see if they get sick? What were the loopholes that big dairy farms tried to use to get around being called grass fed and what has been done about it? Is it really true that organic farmers could never keep up with the food demand over the farms that are forced to use what I will call tainted seeds? Who in the government is watching out for US? The FDA, The Department of Agriculture and the EPA are tasked with this job. Who is watching to see that they are really protecting our interests over those they shake hands with?

Like I said, you really MUST see these films.

And with all of that, what can you do? Is it as hopeless as it seems? Is it true there is no point is even trying to go up against all of that? The answer is NO. There is plenty we can do. Isn’t this the time of the “Yes, we can” campaign? It is a moral and ethical issue and we should be able to have a say in what we eat. Change is actually coming. Do we want real farming or “Pharming”?

How about you? Here is what you can do right now:

• Join a CSA
• Go to you local Farmer’s Market
• Read labels
• Cook seasonally
• Compost your food scraps
• Plant a garden
• Vote with every bite
• Buy what is Certified Organic (hint: all natural is NOT organic) People say they don’t buy organic because it costs too much. My answer is eat less and maybe obesity will go away – and so will so many doctor bills!!
• Be a student and empower yourself with knowledge
• Pass this on to those you care about

Here are a few resources for your information:

Trade Show on all things organic

How to go organic

The Future of Food free viewing of film

Organic Buying Club Ocala-Lady Lake, Fl area

Workshops or farm tours by Florida Organic Growers

I would love to hear what your opinions are. Please share some of your knowledge and experiences so we can all be healthy together.

Have you ever read the comic Family Circus and watched little Billy go for a quick walk?  He would circle around and crisscross his way all through the neighborhood just to cross the street.

Well, as you know by now, Jenn and Roberto are moving to Vermont.  As is sometimes the way of things, there are those places or activities that you vowed to do while you lived somewhere.  You seemed to have all the time in the world to do them and then one day you realize, “Hey, I’m moving and I never…” In this case the place is St. Augustine.  And the something is a horse and carriage ride.

The town is teaming with them.  Always looking so quaint.  And fun.  And something that we said we would do.  Today we did it with days to spare before their move.

And, like Billy, we didn’t take the most direct route.  We did have to fortify ourselves so we took a little detour to the pub for a quick fish and chips lunch.

Then we worked our way down to the water’s edge and had our choice of carriages.  We picked a great one driven by John and led by the coolest horse, Gary.  John chatted away the whole time showing us every nook and cranny and regaling us with tales of old and giving us a great tour, all the while Gary was just pulling us around, into alleys, past cemeteries, old churches, B&B’s.  He was amazing the way he took charge of the route so that John could look our way and talk!!  Smart horse.

Eventually our tour came to an end and after posing for one last picture, we felt a little peckish and once more we detoured over to our favorite gelato spot for a little treat before heading home. I did say little, but as you can see, Roberto was ready for a HE-MAN sized dessert.  See the regular 2 scoop dish next to his sundae?  I think he looks worried that he has bitten off more than he can chew.

Well, it was a fun day and we were happy to say that we had that carriage ride in St. Augustine.

It is always more fun to share an experience. When I find some new place to explore, it adds just that much more when I can share it with someone. And best of all are the times when I share them with Jenn and Roberto. My tip to you is that if you like to travel, save some of those moments to share with your family.

For me the last few years of monthly trips to St. Augustine to visit Jenn and Roberto have been at the top of my list. Compared to Ocala, Florida, St. Augustine has had so many more and varied things that I enjoy – the architecture, the history, the food and the beach.

The three of us have had many walks on the beach during the last nearly three years. Here we are on Easter Sunday taking another walk on the beach with Pepino and MiniP. A perfect day, a sunny 85 degrees, a cool breeze, the sound of the ocean and the sites. Wish I could tuck the sounds and smells into this post for you too.

We walked for near two hours today. It was a wonderful family moment, but a bittersweet one too. Because this occasion marks our last walk together on this St. Augustine beach before their big move!!

Till we meet again in Vermont……..

On my last trip up to St. Augustine over Thanksgiving, we decided to take a tour of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. After all the food we ate, it seemed like a good idea as there were 219 steps. EXTREME AEROBICS!!! Yep, there they were spiraling ever upward. Did I tell you that I have a fear of heights?  And the higher we went, the narrower the space. Oh, and did I tell you that I am claustrophobic? I know – lethal combination for what we endeavored to do. ( More about this later!) But we passed it all the time and there it stood high above the trees just beckoning. So it was after all a must see.

Just a little background on the historic lighthouse. It is actually the third one to be built in St. Augustine. If you would like to get more facts on the first two and to get more of the details of this lighthouse click here. Now this lighthouse, located at 81 Lighthouse Avenue off Anastasia Blvd (A1A), was built of bricks on a concrete base and construction lasted from 1871 to 1874. Initially, the keeper hauled a bucket of lamp fuel which was stored in the small room off to the right of the stairs near the entrance. The actual bucket was on display on one of the landings an it was really heavy – empty. I can hardly imaging toting it up those narrow, winding stairs with fuel. In 1909 lamp oil was replaced with kerosene and finally in 1936 it changed over to electric. The duties were eventually turned over to the US Coast Guard, replacing the keeper and it was fully automated in 1955.

In addition to the lighthouse itself there is also a lovely brick home that housed the keepers and their families. It is now set up as a museum with many artifacts of the time, photos, uniforms and general home decor typical of what would have been in use by the keeper and his family. Everyone had duties to perform- some related specifically to the lighthouse and some more of a housekeeping nature. The office of the keeper was actually at the entrance to the lighthouse, directly across from the fuel storage room. Here the keeper was required to keep careful records or logs, some of which are on display in the front hallway of the home/museum.  For those who like to visit lighthouses and collect related nicknacks, there is a large store set up in the house as well.

One of the main reasons that folks would climb 219 stairs would be the view. Fortunately, along the way up and facing in all directions were a good many windows. Lucky for me and all other faint- hearted climbers. Digressing to my particular visit, I imagine I was quite the site going up those stairs. First I had to have Roberto in front of me and Jenn right behind me. (Never mind that Jenn had some height issues of her own.) Then there I was clinging to the handrails with both hands, literally blocking off the two way stairs. Heart pounding and deep breathing all the way, I made it to within the last 5 or so steps that led to the outside landing at the top. Jenn, Roberto, Jenn’s dad and step mother insured me that is was quite a site and that on a “clear day you could see forever”. Yada yada yada. While I really do enjoy the idea of lighthouses, and think they are historic and lovely to look at from afar, , I am still glad for the experience as far as I got. I loved the museum and reading all about it and I even felt pretty good about going up as far as I did, just to prove to myself that I could. I wish I could have gone the last step and braved the outside at the top. Maybe next time………………..

How about a dish of gelato! Most times when I am in St. Augustine, that phrase is on the tip of my tongue and Jenn, Roberto and I make haste over the bridge to Casa del Hildalgo on Hypolita Street.

Gelato is one of those rare treats that keep me always craving more. There are not too many places nearby where I can actually get some, discounting the “gelato” in the freezer compartment at the supermarket. It is okay, but not like the fresh, creamy gelato that I enjoy from this little spot in St. Augustine.

First, it is a treat for the eyes where the experience really begins for me. When you walk into Hildalgo your eyes are met with this phenomenal sight of batch after batch of the most beautifully displayed containers of mounded gelato of all colors topped with generous garnishes of fruits and nuts announcing the flavors beneath – the darkest red cherries, peaches, lemons and on and on. At that point, I would just like to go behind the counter with a spoon and just dig in to sample each and every one.

I have to confess though, that even with all the best intentions to sample a different flavor every visit, I always end up with chocolate as one of the two picks I get every time. However, I do try to pair it with something that I think will complement it like cherry or coconut or even lemon. And I always get it in a dish so that not one drop will get away from me from a dripping cone. And lucky for me that Jenn is always willing to trade tastes which I think is just a dandy tradition!!

Gelato is the smoothest, creamiest, most flavorful frozen treat that I can imagine. It is one of life’s little pleasures and just writing and thinking about it makes my mouth water for the next visit!

Santa Maria Restaurant is in the heart of St. Augustine. Every time I have visited the downtown area, there it is perched right out over the water. For some reason I really wanted to eat there so after many hints,  Jenn and Roberto returned there for my benefit and I am so glad they did. We had such a good time. It was a friendly place, full of fun and ambiance. I figured being right on the water, we should get some seafood – that it was bound to be fresh.

Was it ever! Don’t know why but with all the varieties of seafood I sure do have a penchant for catfish. Especially that day! We were lucky enough to get a table by a big window. Not only did this give us a bird’s eye view of the bridge and boats passing by, but looking down we also could see the water lapping up against the pilings holding us up.

Right on the ledge of the window were these cute little trap doors. The mystery of these was solved when our server brought this big basket of odds and ends bread. I thought I’ve never seen bread served like this before, until we were told it wasn’t for us; it was for the FISH. So here we are tossing bread out the trap doors by our table and when we looked down we saw hundreds of  hungry open-mouthed catfish staring back up at us, eating the bread faster than we could drop it. I could hardly believe how abundant they were.

Right then and there, I knew it would be catfish for me – again! I got this enormous amount of fish with really good fries, hush puppies and coleslaw, enough to eat my fill and with leftovers for lunch the next day.  (What else could I get as sides right? ) I washed it all down with a never empty glass of raspberry iced tea. Even though our family is really health food conscious 99.9% of the time, there are times when you just have to go for it. I went into a fried food and carb coma for a short time, but it was so worth it.